The Tunbridge Wells Foresters under 9’s Spartak Tandridge team played away to Selsdon Juniors in the second round of the League Cup. The game ended in 2-1 defeat for Foresters.
Foresters started the match looking very nervous and soon found themselves a goal behind as Selsdon scored following a penalty awarded for handball. Only two minutes later the home side’s lead was doubled following some slack marking in the Foresters goalmouth. This finally woke the boys up and they started playing some good passing football and n the final ten minutes of the half began to dominate the possession. The midfielders were now playing well and Ollie Plunkett, Joseph Pickett and Fraser Abbott gave their opponents no time to settle on the ball. The boys created several good opportunities to reduce the arrears but the home keeper made two good saves to deny Johnny Phillips so at half-time the boys went in 2-0 down
In the second half the boys finally got the goal their efforts deserved with Matthew Horlock scoring from close range following a goalmouth scramble in the second minute of the half. The boys continued to pass the ball around and they create chances but they could not beat the Selsdon goalkeeper who made at least six good saves to keep his team ahead. As Selsdon began to get back into the game they were kept at bay by Luca Caria and also some solid defending by Josh Williams, Luke Credland and Robert Lawrence. With the match entering the final five minutes Matthew Horlock hit the outside of the post with a shot and as the game entered the final minute Foresters continued to push for the equaliser but they were to be denied by the home keeper goal saving bound efforts from Johnny Phillips which would have given him the goal that his efforts deserved.
Well done to all the boys on the spirit they showed tocame back into the game and also for playing some fantastic football during the course of the game. Their performance today once again shows how far they have come and they should all be very proud of their efforts.
The squad for the match was as follows:-
L.Caira, F.Abbott, J.Williams, M.Horlock, O.Plunkett, J.Pickett, ,R.Lawrence, J.Phillips and L.Credland.
